How to clean the big toenail

Cleaning your big toenail properly can make the difference between wearing flip-flops without shame and having your toenail fall off because fungus has eaten your toenail. Toenail fungus usually results from trauma or damage to the toenail, wearing sweaty socks and shoes with poor air circulation or from hereditary factors. If the fungus is not cleaned, the toenail will become discoloured, start to crumble and can ultimately damage your toe.

Skill level:

Moderate

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Things you need

Warm water

2 cups Epsom salts

5 cups white vinegar

Foot-soaking dish

Towel

2 cups 3 per cent hydrogen peroxide

1 tbsp medicated chest rub decongestant

Medium bowl

Soft toothbrush

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Instructions

Clean Fungus From Your Big Toenail

1

Mix 2 cups of vinegar and 4 cups of water together and put the solution into the foot-soaking dish.

2

Soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes to loosen the fungus from your big toe. Take your feet out of the solution and then dry them off with a towel. Focus on drying your big toe, because moisture is one of the biggest causes of fungus.

3

Combine 1 tbsp of medicated chest rub decongestant, 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 cup of white vinegar in a bowl, and then mix the ingredients thoroughly. Use a soft toothbrush to apply this solution to the fungus on the toenail. The fungus will be an obvious discolouration on the side of or underneath the toenail. Leave the solution on the toenail for 10 to 15 minutes.

4

Rinse your feet with warm water, dry them well and let them air out.

Clean Dirt From Your Big Toenail

1

Mix 2 cups of Epsom salts and 4 cups of water together and then pour the solution into the foot-soaking dish.

2

Soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes to loosen the dirt from your big toe. Take your feet out of the solution and dry them off with a towel.

3

Put 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 cup of vinegar into a bowl and dip a soft toothbrush into the bowl. Scrub the big toe with the toothbrush to lift the dirt from the nail.

4

Rinse your feet with warm water, dry them well and let them air out.

Tips and warnings

If you have fungus on the nail of your big toe, you have to soak and clean it every day or until the fungus has disappeared. It should take about 12 weeks to disappear.

If your fungus reappears, visit a podiatrist for help in eliminating the fungus.